'Time Bomb'
Is it better the second time around? Or the third? Or tenth? This is the place to come when you have a burning desire to talk about an old episode that was just re-run.
And yet, early in S7, there was almost a family vibe going on among Buffy, Xander, and Dawn. It seemed Xander started to step in as a father-figure for Dawn. Although after the first few eps, that (and so much of the other back-to-the-beginning motif) got swept away for the all-Potentials-all-the-time storyline.
Except for Xander's "we're special because we aren't special" speech. which was sappy telling-not-showing, but dammit, he sold it.
I don't see Xander's Lie as being nearly as bad or unambiguous. It was a grey area act of omission.
this was not an act of omission, it was a deliberate lie. If he had said nothing, that would have been an omission (see, how that definition works there?). He did not choose not to tell her, he deliberately attributed a sentiment that was in direct opposition to what he knew Willow would have said in this situation.
I agree with Raquel on Background!Xander. It wasn't until his unfortunate eye injury (which still strikes me as very OMGWTF!, even now) that he was even getting much plot attention (IIRC). Then as we were rushing toward the end, he started to be involved in a real way again.
It wasn't until his unfortunate eye injury (which still strikes me as very OMGWTF!, even now) that he was even getting much plot attention (IIRC).
This is very evident in Conversations with Dead People - he wasn't in the episode because he'd never really lost anyone very dear to him.
he wasn't in the episode because he'd never really lost anyone very dear to him.
Jesse. Poor, forgotten Jesse.
They so should have had the first appear to him as Jesse. Or Buffy.
They so should have had the first appear to him as Jesse. Or Buffy
wrod, since it was about a year too early for it to be Cordelia.
I was so praying for First!Buffy to wander around and sow confusion.
I still seethe at the waste of not having the First appear as Buffy to any of the Scoobies until it did so just to taunt her at the very end. It only used that extremely effective tactic on Spike.
Then again, I really wanted a reveal that that wasn't actually Angel in the last 2 episodes. Can you imagine the look on Buffy's face if she'd run to hug him and then passed right through?
I really wanted a reveal that that wasn't actually Angel in the last 2 episodes.
Stupid studio conflicts, it should have been Angelus tormenting Spike, not Dru. That would have been sweet.